i8o TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



fog which had as yet barred our progress, and it was 

 often impossible to see the bows of the ship from 

 the stern. Creeping warily inshore we anchored in 

 a little sheltered inlet, and there remained over- 

 shadowed by a dreary belt of mist for two whole 

 days. 



Weighing anchor at last, we sailed by the black- 

 looking, forbidding precipices of Hagemeister Island. 

 Our hunters told us it was said, by men likely to 

 know, that bears of a fierce and magnificent descrip- 

 tion inhabited the recesses of this frowning isle. 

 We had not the time to verify the statement for our- 

 selves, even had we the inclination. Bear pelts at 

 this season are apt to be not worth the taking. 



On the gaunt cliffs the sea-birds rested in thou- 

 sands, changing the colour of the dark grim rocks to 

 tones of white and grey. Murres there were in 

 myriads, but gulls, cormorants, auks, and other 

 diving birds were present in solid masses. The 

 Aleuts call the murres "arries," a familiar, meaning 

 word, and I should like to know the origin of it in 

 Alaska. " 'Arrys " are very common with us at 

 home, too common altogether. Can it be that the 

 Aleut mind bestowed the name in a spirit of fine 

 irony? I think not. There be English "'Arrys" 

 and Alaskan "arries." 



We sailed through a dense curtain of birds, divid- 

 ing up their multitudes as our ship ran on. As a 

 murre flies the feet do all the steering, for so stumpy 

 a tail as is this bird's makes for awkwardness, and 

 gives no guidance. When the course must be 



